18.09.2015
The visit by Committee member, Rhoda Grant MSP was to inform the Committee’s current inquiry into the provision and availability of palliative and end of life care in Scotland.
The visit was an opportunity for the Committee to see the care being provided for at Rachel House and to meet with staff and patients.
Convener of the Committee Duncan McNeil MSP said:
“The care that is provided for at Rachel House clearly makes such a positive difference to the children and their families that receive it.
“The inquiry we are undertaking is all about finding out about people’s experiences of palliative and end of life care and about making sure everyone that needs access to high quality palliative care receives it.
“For the Committee to see this in action today is invaluable and will lead to a real understanding of how these high standards of care can be replicated across Scotland.”
Maria McGill, Chief Executive at Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS), said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Health and Sport Committee to Rachel House so they could see and hear first-hand about the vital services we provide to families in our wonderful hospice. We currently help over 380 families across Scotland who are facing the reality that their child’s life will be short.
“CHAS provides a lifeline for those families by giving them somewhere to turn for much needed, care, support and respite. Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that families in need of support know we are here, visits like this are so important in helping us raise awareness of our work.”
The visit was also an opportunity for the Committee to speak to staff at the Hospice about proposals in legislation that the Committee is also scrutinising on the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc, and Care) (Scotland) Bill.
This legislation introduces measures that if passed will create a legal requirement for health and social care organisations to inform people when they have been harmed as a result of the care or treatment they have received. The proposals would also establish a new criminal offence of ill-treatment or wilful neglect of adults which would apply to individual health and social care workers, managers and supervisors.
Background
The Committee launched its inquiry into the provision of palliative care in July 2015 http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/91055.aspx and recently more information on the scrutiny of the Health Scotland Bill can be found here http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/91070.aspx